Steam-actuated valve



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheeti. H. L. PERRINE.

STEAM AOTUATED VALVE. .No. 269,319. atented De0.19, 1882.

(No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet 3.

H. L. PERRINE.

STEAM AGTUATED VALVE.

No. 269,319. Patented De0.19,188"2..

UNITED STATES PATENT H. LANSING PERRINE, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

STEAM-ACTUATED VALVE.

I SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,319, dated December '19, 1885.,

7 Application filed October 18, 18853. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, H. LANSING PERRINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steam-Actuated Valves for Direct-Acting Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a positive automatic valve-movement for direct acting engines for pumps, air-compressors, and the like, whereby the main piston of the engine will always be caused to start from any point of the stroke. The main slide-valve is moved forward mechanically a given distance, and its throw is completed by direct steam-pressure admitted behind-the valve-piston by means of a slide or controlling valve movingcoincident with and under direct control of the main piston. The controlling-slide is arranged so that the steam is fully exhausted from the end of the valve-pistons in advance of the admission of steam to the other end thereof as the main piston approaches the end of the stroke. The admission of steam to the valve-piston is not effected until the main slide has been moved by direct mechanical action of the main piston to a point nearly closing the main steam-ports to the cylinder. At this point a small port is opened direct to the valve-pistons, admitting steam behind them, compelling them to move to the opposite end of the valve-chest, driving the main slide across its center, opening the main steam port, and reversing the travel of the main piston. Provision is made for cushioning the main piston by direct pressure of live steam when a certain speed of the engine is exceeded, thereby preventing the pistons from striking the cylinder-heads.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical section through the steam cylinder and chest, showing the main slide and the controlling valves in section and their direct connection with the steam-piston; Fig. 2, a top view, the cover and the valve-pistons being removed to show the position of the main and of the controlling valves, the sameas in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a top view showing the main slidevalve broken away and the controlling-slide in position at its extreme travel to the right opening, the ports leading to the valve-pistons,

and also the cushion-port leading to the main piston; Fig. 4, atop view of the valve-seats, showing the steam-ports to the valve-pistons and cylinder and the cushion-ports to the main piston; Fig. 5, a vertical section,'showing the position of the main and of the controlling valves when the main piston is on its stroke to the right and the controlling-valve exhausting spent steam from the valve-piston before the main valve is moved to the left; Fig. 6, a cross-section taken through the steam-cylinder and the steam-chest, showing the main slide-valve partly in section; Fig. 7, the main slide-valve in perspective; Fig. 8, the controlling slide-valve in'perspective, showing the manner ofconnecting its operating-rod thereto; Fig. 9, a cross-section through the steam-cylinder and the steam-chest, showing a modified arran gement of the slide and controlling valves; and Fig. 10, a top view of the same.

Where the same letters of reference occur in each of the tigures they indicate the same parts.

A is the steam-cylinder of a direct-acting engine; B, the piston thereof; (3, the steamchest for the sliding valves; and O is a communicating steam-chest for the piston-valves E E, which operate the main slidc-valveD by means of a lug, (I, cast on its back, passing into a slot in the stem of the valve-pistons between them. These steam-chests I prefer to make of separate sections, as shown. I prefer to arrange the "alves D and G as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, in which the controlling-valve G is placed underneath and between theinner vertical sidesof the main slide-valve D, which is made hollow for that purpose. In Figs. 9 and 10 the main slide-valve is arranged to one side of thecontrolling-valve; buttheoperation of these valves is the same in both arrangements. The controlling-valve Gr derives its motion direct from the main piston by means of the rocker-arm H and valve-rod g, the latter passing through the steam-chest and moving in guidebearings therein, as shown in Fig.1. As the main piston approaches the end of its stroke the valve G will open one of the ports h or h, which lead to the ends of the valve-chestO,-therebyadmittinglivesteam behind the valve-piston E or E and shifting the position of the main slide-valve D after it has been partially moved to close the main steam-ports F or F to the steam-cylinder. This mechanical movement of the main slidevalve is effected by means of the lug g on the valve-rod g coming in contact with the hanging lugs d d on each end of the main slidevalve. Small steam-ports i i, Fig. 4, are arranged in the valve-seat in direct communication with the steam-ports F and F, and are only brought in communication with the latter when the controlling slide-valve G moves nearly to the end ofits travel to the right or to theleft, as shown in Fig.3, admittinglive steam in front of the main piston as a steam-cushion. I have also shown how the valve-pistons may be cushioned by live steam direct from the chest through cushion-portsjj, Fig. 1, should the valve-pistons be thrown so rapidly as to strike theheadsofthe chest. I have also shown, in Fig. 4, the manner of coring out the main steam-ports F F when the bridge slide-valve is used.

The operation of the engine is as follows: Suppose the main slide-valve I) to be at its extreme travel to the left, opening steam-port F to the cylinder, causing the main piston B, to travel to the left, simultaneously the controlling-valve G is caused to move to the right by means of the rocker-arm H and valve-rod g until the lug g on the valve-rod comes in contact with the lug d on the main slide D, causing it to move to the right, nearly closing the steam-port F while the piston is traveling from point 2 to 3. (Shown in travel diagram, Fig. 1.) At this point 3 the valve G begins to open the steam-port h, admitting live steam behind the valve-piston E, driving it to the right end of the chest and completing the throw of the main slide 1) to the right, opening the port F and reversing the stroke of the piston. This causes the controlling-valve G to commence its stroke to the left, (see Fig. 5,) closing the port h and holding the confined steam against the valve-piston E until the main piston has nearly reached the point 2 to the right, when communication is opened with the exhaust-port I and the small steam-port h. This movement exhausts the spent steam from behind the valve-piston E just before the lug g on the valve-rod comes in contact with the lug d of the main slide-valve, compelling its travel to the left, nearly closing the steam-port F. At the point 3 in the movement of the valve-operating arm H the controlling-valve G begins to open the port h, admitting steam behind the valve-piston E to complete the throw of the main slide D to the left, and again opening the main port F. This holding and exhausting of the spent steam from opposite ends of the valve-pistons before moving the same and admitting steam when the main slide-valve D has nearly closed the steam-port in order to complete its throw is an important advantage.

It will be observed that the motion of the controlling-valve G is always in the opposite direction of travel to that of the main piston and derives its movement from the latter through the arm H and valve-rod g, and is always ready to act at the end of each stroke of the main piston. The movement of the main slide-valve and of the valve-pistons is intermittent, and their movement is derived partly from the mechanical connection with the main piston, atthe end of which movement the throw of the valve across the steam-ports is completed by direct steam-pressure, admitted by the controlling-valve G.

The herein-described mechanical movements of the valves, combined with a positive steamadmission to the valve-pistons, provide apositive action of the main valve and piston under all circumstances and variations of speed. I propose to bring the cushioning-ports in action only when such action is rendered necessary by the sudden variation of speed the engine may be subject to according to the duty it is performing.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the main piston B has nearly completed its stroke andjust moved the controlling-valve G over the port h. Now, if the motion of the engine is slow the main valve D will change quickly, reversing the travel of the piston; but should the motion of the engine be rapid the piston would approach close to the cylinder-heads, and at the same time moving the controllingvalve G to its limit and opening the cushionports i or '17, admit a steam-cushion in front of the main piston for it to act against before the main slide-valve I) had shifted. hen the engine is set vertical, as in the case of sinking pumps for mineshafts, the operation just described gives important advantages in the working of the engine. The valve-pi tons E and E are cushioned in the same manner, and only when running rapidly or thrown too far are the cushion-portsjj opened. The valve-pistons travel partly over the ports h h at every stroke, so that they are always partly open for the admission of live steam by the travel of the main valve-slide. In whatever portion of the stroke the main piston may stop it will be seen there is always an open port to the main piston or to the valve-piston, thereby rendering the action of the engine certain.

I claim- I 1. The combination of the main piston and the piston-valves with the main slide-valve 1), the controlling slide-valve G, and the steam ports'h h, constructed and arranged substantially as shown and specified, whereby steam is first exhausted from one end of the valvepistons before the main slide-valve and the valve-pistons are mechanically moved and admitting steam to the opposite end of the valvepistons to complete the throw of the main slide-valve.

2. The combination of the main piston, the valve-pistons, the main slide-valve D, and the controlling slide-valve G, with the valve-rod 9, provided with a fixed lug, g,connected with said controlling-valve and the arm H, substantially as described, whereby the main slidevalve is moved to a point nearly closing the main. steam port.

3. The'eombination of the main piston B, the arm H, the controlling slide-valve G, and

its valve-rod g with the steam-ports i i and F.

substantially such as described, for connecting said controlling slide-valve with the main piston.

5. In combination, in a direct-acting engine,

the main piston B, the valve-pistons E E, the

main slide-valve D, the controlling slide-valve G, the steam-ports [L h, the cushion-ports i 'i, the valve-rod g, and the arm H, all constructed and arranged for operation substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony whereofI have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

H. LANSING PERRINE.

Witnesses:

J 0s. H. ZIMMERMANN, W. H. DOOLITTLE. 

